DH.82A Tiger Moths in service with the USAAF in Australia during WW2

DH.82A TIGER MOTHS
IN SERVICE WITH THE USAAF
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

Photo:- from Nick Shailer via Peter E. Johnstone

DH.82A Tiger Moth in service with the USAAF in Townsville

26 Tiger Months were allocated to the USAAF in Australia during WWII as follows:-

A17-494	DHA917	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted to 46th Air Base Group Darwin from 2 AD Richmond on 10 May 1942. USAAF designation PT-24. You can buy a 1/48th scale paper model of this aircraft.	A17-494 colour photo A17-494
A17-495	DHA918	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted to 46th Air Base Group Darwin from 2 AD Richmond on 10 May 1942. USAAF designation PT-24.	A17-495 Photo:- Gordon Birkett An incident for A17-495
A17-547	DHA982	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted from 3 AD Amberley on 18 December 1942. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-580	DHA1015	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted from 2 AD Richmond on 6 October 1942. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-581	DHA1016	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted from 2 AD Richmond on 6 October 1942. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-582	DHA1017	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted from 2 AD Richmond on 6 October 1942. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-583	DHA1018	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, allotted from 2 AD Richmond on 6 October 1942. USAAF designation PT-24. Later became VH-AUK.
A17-609	DHA1044	Issued by RAAF to USAAF Fifth Air Force, USAAF designation PT-24. Allotted from 1 AOS Cootamundra 5 November 1942. Pilot, Sgt. Edward Robert Aitken Tait (415058), forced-landed the aircraft at Evans Head NSW on 8 November 1942 after an engine failure on ferry flight to Archerfield and issued to APL Archerfield for repair. The fuselage and mainplane were damaged.
A17-902	DHA902	Supplied direct to USAAF in May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24
A17-903	DHA903	Supplied direct to USAAF in May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. NOTE:- A file in NAA incorrectly shows A17-903 collided with A17-85 at Nile Relief Landing Ground 7.5 miles south of Western Junction in Tasmania on 25 July 1943. Gordon Birkett has advised that this NAA accident file should read that British built Tiger Moth N6903 collided with Tiger Moth A17-85. It would have had the last three numbers 903 painted on the fuselage which is where the confusion has occurred.
A17-904	DHA904	Supplied direct to USAAF in May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-905	DHA905	Supplied direct to USAAF May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-906	DHA906	Supplied direct to USAAF May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-907	DHA907	Supplied direct to USAAF May 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. To the RAAF and 5 CU on 26 August 1945. Serial changed to A17-760.
A17-954	DHA954	Supplied direct to USAAF from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF on 14 July 1942.
A17-955	DHA955	Supplied direct to USAAF from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF on 14 July 1942. Crashed Townsville on 12 May 1943.
A17-956	DHA956	Supplied direct to USAAF from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF on 14 July 1942.
A17-957	DHA957	Supplied direct to USAAF from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF on 14 July 1942.
A17-958	DHA958	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF on 18 July 1942.
A17-959	DHA959	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. From DHA to 2AD on 30 May 1942. Issued ex-2AD to USAAF.
A17-960	DHA960	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by he USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. Issued ex-2AD to US Army Townsville on 30 June 1942. Crashed 20 January 1944 in New Guinea. Believed to have been operated by HQs Flight, 45 Signals Group, USAAF at Port Moresby with pilot Lt. Forrest R. Harsh USAAF.
A17-961	DHA961	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-962	DHA962	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.
A17-963	DHA963	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. Issued ex-2AD to US Army in Townsville on 30 June 1942. This aircraft collided with a P-39 Airacobra into Halifax Bay near Townsville on 10 September 1942 killing the pilot. Captain James J. "Hoot" Bevlock (O-420568). His body was never found. The passenger Sgt. Weiss parachuted to safety.	Photo:- Lt Col. John R. Watts via his son James Watts "Bill Bennett standing on the wing of A17-963. "Hoot" Bevlock in the Tiger Moth, at Ross River Airfield, Townsville. "Hoot" was killed in this plane on the same day that the picture was taken.
A17-964	DHA964	Supplied direct to USAAF June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24. Issued ex-2AD to 36 Airbase Group USAAF on 13 July 1942. It was left derelict by the USAAF and then loaned to RAAF 36 Squadron from 7 August 1943 to 3 March 1944.
A17-965	DHA965	Supplied direct to USAAF in June 1942 from stocks of aircraft built originally for supply to South Africa or Southern Rhodesia under EATS program but not consigned following Japan's entry into the war and held in storage in Sydney area. While used by the USAAF they did not get allocated US Serials, they simply used the 3 digits of the de Havilland construction number on the tail. USAAF designation PT-24.